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2009 - 2010 Nissan Murano

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Comments

  • newmuranobuyernewmuranobuyer Member Posts: 4
    Hello Tidester can you help me with the below post I had posted a few days ago?

    I have been told by Nissan Canada, that the 2009 Nissan Murano has to be registered and plated in the U.S for a period of 6 months. Before you can transfer the warranty to Canada. I guess they are doing this as a deterrent to stop Canadians from buying the car across the border. Does anyone provide me with more information on this subject. Is there a way around this issue ? How can you insure a car in the states if you will be driving the vehicle in canada.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Hi!

    You're probably right about Nissan trying to discourage importing into Canada from the U.S. but I'm just not that well-versed in the intricacies of importing-exporting to be able to advise you. The people you want to talk with participate in the Importing Car into Canada from US topic. Please post your question over there and I'll try to prompt them into helping out if they don't jump in right away! :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • guest10guest10 Member Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I'm also in the process of purchasing a 2009 Murano in the States. You will find a lot of info on www.riv.ca; that's the registration of imported vehicles for Canadians. You will find most of the info you're looking for.

    What you need to know is that apart from the GST, your provincial sales tax, you have to add a 6,1% tax because the Murano is built outside of North America. In fact, it's built in Japan. Now that I have this figured out, I only need to see what to do about the immoblizer. Apparently, I'm not sure it respects the Canadian NS VAC 114 conformity.

    About the dealers selling to Canadians, since they can only sell to customers who have an American address, some ot the dealers will simply get you a P.O. Box address so they can fill out the sales contract and have no problems with the company.

    Where exactly do you live in Canada?
  • promikepromike Member Posts: 35
    I live in a state that does not use a front license plate, but live close to a state that does. So most of the dealers put the front bracket on. My question is "Does the front license plate bracket cause holes or screws to be put in the front face of the bumper?" There was a time when the brackets were secured from underneath the bumper, so if it was removed there were no visible holes. It seems that most manfacturers now just design them to be held on with self tapping screws totally messing up the front bumper for those who want to remove them.
  • 09muranosales09muranosales Member Posts: 16
    The dealer generally installs the front bracket when they get it in, but you can ask for your's to NOT go on.
  • cjo1cjo1 Member Posts: 3
    I bought my SL 2WD last night with: Premium package, Technology package, Leather and the Navigation package and the moon roof. The Nav removes the AUX input for an iPod replacing it with a compact flash input. My question is how I can possibly use my iPod? Can anyone help with (a) getting compact flash files transferred to the music box or (b) using the auxillary jacks behind the center console to use the iPod or (c) some other plan. I don't need to control the iPod from the nav screen, I just need it to work absent having to use an FM adapter and the resulting loss in sound quality. The manual says the only way to get music to the music box is to play CDs (one by one) in "record" mode which will take a lifetime. There must be a way! This is a big minus on an otherwise impressive vehicle.

    I am new to this forum, so thanks all for any guidance.
  • hollymoff1hollymoff1 Member Posts: 2
    I test drove a 2009 Murano and fell in LOVE. To placate the husband who thinks Toyota is a better bet for long term performance and resale potential I also drove the Highlander. My opinion? Murano drives more smoothly, is more responsive, has a more luxurious cabin, and is a more quiet ride. I liked the Highlander Sport okay but even though the cars are almost exactly the same size (see specs on measurements) the Highlander felt more like a big box SUV. Anyone else test drive both or own either car? I'd love to get feedback on performance, gas mileage, comfort, etc from owners or Nissan or Toyota employees! I've heard the CVT on the Murano could be a problem down the road. Help please. I don't want to be the wife in two years whose husband is saying "I told you so."
  • fitcfitc Member Posts: 11
    Premium Package removes the AUX input in the front, but adds one in the back of the Center Console. Use either an RCA-to-3.5 mm stereo cable or the Composite AV Cable available from Apple (or possibly other compatible cable) to connect your iPod's headphone output or 30-pin connector, respectively, to the AUX inputs in the back of the Center Console.

    You cannot transfer music files from CF to MusicBox.
    When ripping CDs to the MusicBox, it is not done in real time. A 40 min CD takes about 10 mins, give or take a couple of mins. The CD continues to play normally while the files are encoded and transferred to the MusicBox. If interrupted, it will know not to rip the same tracks twice and will simply resume the ripping process. It works pretty well... So far...

    _fitc_
  • jimmy2xjimmy2x Member Posts: 124
    Holly - am also going to choose one of these two and have test driven both. Just a couple of points to think about.

    1. Resale value - if you are talking about being "forced" to get rid of the car in a couple of years, you will take a beating no matter which one it is. IMO, this is truly the "red herring" of car buying.

    2. Practically speaking, the biggest diffference between these two is seating/maximum cargo space. Highlander max is 95 cuft. vs 64 cuft for the Murano. Only you know if this is even important to your situation.

    3. Which features are must have? In my situation, will not buy a car that does not have a passenger power seat. This may seem a small thing to many but this will be our retirement traveling car and I want my wife to be comfortable. In the Highlander, at least, this puts us into a LTD. OTH, I really like the IPod integration and the large "info" screen on the Murano LE. Downside is that it comes with 20" wheels which will be very expensive come tire replacement time.

    4. I don't want to be the wife in two years whose husband is saying "I told you so."
    You pay your money and take your chances. Both are "new" models and, as CR found out much to their chagrin, basing reliability on past performance can come back to bite you in the a**. Its always a crapshoot, and you will always find disgruntled owners of ANY vehicle.

    5. Find a dealer/salesperson that you are comfortable with and who will allow you time other than the 10 minute test drive to spend some time alone in a running vehicle. This will give you a chance to see how all the different features work for you and an opportunity to really look for differences in build quality.
  • hemorsehemorse Member Posts: 34
    I am down between two vehicles: A fully loaded Murano LE, orthe new Huyndai genesis. Both have tradeoffs. I took an LE out for a test drive by myself for about an hour, and put it through its paces. I also did a full test on the navi and bluetooth system, which are huge for me as Iam a techie. Both worked great. Nothing was grayed out like the Toyota's while the vehicle was in motion. I hate that and will not purchase a vehicle that doesn't allow me to use the equipment when I want to use it. I would never buy a Toyota just for that reason alone.

    On the Murano, I gain AWD plus low speed 4wd. I give up an eight cylinder engine and a real trunk to hide my stuff. I also give up electric folding mirrors to assist when going into my garage. The Murano is available now.

    On the Genesis, I get all the bells and whistles including the folding mirrors, a trunk, an 8 cylinder engine, cool recognition with a newly distributed vehicle, but no AWD which is something I prefer for accessing my mountain home in NC. No avaiability now until August, based upon latest auto-shows and guesstimates.

    A conundrum!! Wait for the Genesis in August and see what it really is and how it will really be priced, or get the Murano now? :mad:
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    I'm also deciding between the Murano and Highlander. I've test driven both and spent a lot of time sitting in them at our local auto show. My thoughts so far:

    Resale Value: This is important to me, as I usually rotate my vehicles in 3-4 years. In my area, Toyota makes up 25% of the new car marketplace, so there is a pretty good market for used Toyotas.

    Looking at all the data, the Murano is also pretty decent at retaining its value, but I know that I'll have a harder time selling just because it isn't a Toyota.

    Cargo and Capacity: My typical load is one person. Me. So the third row in the Highlander is a nice-to-have, not a must-have. However, I have had times when the ability to haul 6 or 7 would have been handy, so it's definitely a plus that the Highlander has that capability, even though the third row would remain stowed most of the time.

    I also have had the occasional need to haul bulky items, which my 4Runner has done well and I'm sure the Highlander would also be capable of doing. With the Murano (or even a Lexus RX), I'm not sure if the sharply raked rear hatch would have been an impediment.

    Interior: The Murano is superior to the Highlander in terms of the number of soft-touch surfaces and the overall look-and-feel. The Highlander seems more utilitarian, although it is still very refined.

    One example: the Highlander has a dampened glove compartment so that it doesn't just drop on your knees (you'd be amazed at how many others do). The Murano takes it one further by fully lining the compartment so it actually looks nice.

    Features: The Murano (LE) offers more luxury-type features -- HIDs, LED tails, rain-sensing wipers, iPod interface, front and rear heated seats, large 7" display, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, memory settings, etc.

    The Highlander (Limited) is more, again, utilitarian. It's unique features include the flip-up glass on the hatch, conversation mirror in the overhead console, the center-stow seat, and rear A/C (independent of the front).

    Styling: This is very subjective, but I've flip-flopped on my opinion of styling. When I first saw photos of the Highlander, I was disappointed. However, in person, I think it looks good -- it has an aggressive, truck-like vibe, especially with the 19" wheels.

    I really liked the Murano in the photos I saw. However, in person, it just hasn't clicked yet with me. I think the 18" rims on the S and SL are too small.

    I'll finish later with more observations...
  • anlesaanlesa Member Posts: 3
    Hi newmuranobuyer,

    Were you able to get any replies on the warranty? Can you share please if you did?
    Here is my (not very good) experience. I know that it's almost impossible to transfer Nissan warranty to Canada but I was ok to have just US warranty. I went down to States and put my deposit ($1000) after I was assured by the dealership that the US warranty will be still valid and I can always come back and get the warranty work done. It was really silly of me. I guess I was two excited to get Murano LE for less money then SL here in Canada. My mistake was that I contacted Nissan US after that, not before. I've got the same answer from them that a vehicle has to be registered and plated in US for the US warranty to be valid. Then I contacted Nissan Canada. They gave me slightly different answer from what they told you. They said that the warranty for brand-new vehicle will be transferred if I register it on MY NAME in US first and then register it in Canada, again on MY NAME. No 6 month period required.

    The problem with that is I do not have an US address. When the dealership filled out my purchase order they used my Canadian address, not an US PO box. I guess it's illegal anyway to use PO box. Also when you register a car in US you have to pay the state sale tax which is 6.5% in Washington state.
    So, I sent them a cancelation notice and am thinking to buy a lower model in Canada. Also, I think that my deposit is gone.

    Any advice please.

    P.S.
    A couple of days ago I found two after-market warranty providers. One is Lubrico, the other one is Global. The Global agreed to sell the warranty for a new imported vehicle. So this might be another option: to buy an after-market warranty, although I do not know how it works in practice.
  • jimmy2xjimmy2x Member Posts: 124
    I think many of your thoughts are right on the money. I admit that resale is not as important to me as we tend to keep cars a long time. My wife has an '02 Camry XLE that does not even have 50K on it. We keep it up and I suspect that it will last for around the town driving many more years. The Highlander/Murano buy is because the company car goes away when I retire.

    Will look forward to your next post.
  • fredbloggsfredbloggs Member Posts: 6
    I'm replacing a much loved but fairly boring 2005 Acura RL. I want a smallish SUV with great nav. I checked the Toyota Highlander (feels too big and looks like a shoebox), Acura RDX (too noisy, a bit cheap looking inside, and too fast (!) with a choppy ride), RX350 (too soft and feminine - I'm guy), BMW X3 (lousy nav and tech), Infinitis (hate the interiors and the EX and FX are truly ugly). None were right. Then I was passing a Nissan dealer and decided to check out the Murano. I was surprised and find myself tempted by it. Very tempted. But I have some concerns:

    1. Seems to rev a bit high at 70 mph on the highway. How would that be on a long trip I wonder. I miss the feeling of slipping into high gear.

    2. Noticeable wind noise on the highway above 55 mph coming from the left side wing mirror.

    3. Gauges are a bit cheesy and cheap, especially those orange lights, but I know that the orange rim lights can be turned off.

    4. A lot of glare on the nav screen. Hard to read in sunlight.

    5. The driver's seat didn't seem too comfortable to me as there are no or negligible side supports.

    These are the only negatives. Otherwise I think it's great and I'll probably get one. If not, then I may go for the new 2009 Acura RL. Boooring but a safe choice.
  • napanapa Member Posts: 6
    When will Edmunds reveiw the 2009 Murano, with cost to own, ect?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
  • hollymoff1hollymoff1 Member Posts: 2
    I tried, I really did, to like the Highlander. I mean after all it IS a Toyota, and we all know about reliability and how they maintain their value, not to mention my husband was not-so-secretly pulling for it. BUT, I'm the one driving it, and no matter what the Murano has a much more pleasing cabin - visually and comfort-wise. I don't need the extra cubic space in the cargo area, so that wasn't a factor. It drove more quietly, had softer seats, and a streamlined "gear shift" that cannot be accidentally knocked into reverse while you're driving. Driving upwards from 45 mph the car pulled away at a faster pace than the Highlander, and had a smoother and more subtle steering response. Although they are almost exactly the same length, the Murano feels more manueverable and less "boxy" and utilitarian. Plus, the Murano wins on gas mileage. I am SO happy with my decision and cannot wait to pick my car up this Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!1
  • clarencehollowclarencehollow Member Posts: 60
    Congratulations on picking the Murano! It's evident you made a serious comparison, and selected the vehicle that's right for you - and one that proved to be superior. The Murano has the VQ engine and that has been listed on Wards Automotives Top 10 Best Engines of the world the last 14 years in a row. Not other automaker can make this claim. This is the exact same engine in the Infiniti, minus the price. Way to go, plus you'll enjoy some excellent fuel economy and not be required to put Premium fuel inside the Murano such as the Highlander requires. ;)
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    In my opinion the Nav on every car is very lacking compared to what can be found in the 3rd party market. Typically a manufacturer puts out a contract and has a nav system developed by Magellan, Garmin, etc, and by the time it makes its way into a production vehicle it is already 2-3 years old!

    Compare spending $2000-$3000 on a factory nav system to spending $500 on a better portable that you can upgrade every few years and you can see why integrated nav actually hurts resale on cars that include it. Residual values are always lower on the same model when the Nav system (or other things like rear seat DVD) are included because these fetish type items go out of date long before the car itself does.
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    Way to go, plus you'll enjoy some excellent fuel economy and not be required to put Premium fuel inside the Murano such as the Highlander requires.

    For the record, the Highlander does not require premium fuel, per Toyota's specifications here.
  • qs933qs933 Member Posts: 302
    Coincidentally, after I wrote about the 7-seat capacity in the Highlander being a nice-to-have, not a need-to-have for my personal situation, I went out to an Easter lunch.

    I had family visiting from out-of-town, making our total group 6. We had to take two cars to lunch and to do some sightseeing. This is one of those times when I wished I had the ability to transport 6 or 7 in one vehicle, as it would have made sightseeing easier and more enjoyable.

    Of course, how often does this happen? Not much for me (and probably wouldn't happen again if I got the Highlander for this reason). ;)

    Continuing on with a few more thoughts on the Murano vs. Highlander:

    Price: As I mentioned, I think the 18" wheels on the SL look small compared to the 20" wheels on the LE. Silly, yes. But if I'm going to spend that much, might as well go all the way. If there was a 2WD LE, I'd choose it, but the LE is AWD only. An LE AWD without moonroof will run around $36.9K MSRP. I haven't tried negotiating yet, but I'm sure I could get something closer to invoice, which Edmunds shows as $34.0K.

    For the Highlander, I can get a Limited 2WD (Blizzard Pearl, which is an extra $200 option) for $35.4K MSRP. Invoice is $31.3K. Without negotiation, I can get the Highlander for around $32.5K without negotiation (Toyota dealers have a lot of control in my market, so there's not much room for negotiation).

    This means the delta between the Murano and Highlander is at least $1.5K, even assuming a best-case at-invoice deal for the Murano. Note: this is all before tax, title, and license.

    Reliability: Personally, I'm confident in both Nissan and Toyota. I own a Toyota now (and previously) and haven't had any major problems. Others in my family have had Nissans and have driven them for years without problems.

    Both are first-year redesigns. Both are made in Japan. Nissan has had reliability issues with the Titan and Armada. Toyota has had reliability issues with the new Camry and ES350's transmission. Both the previous generation Murano and Highlander (both 1st gens, coincidentally) have good reputations.

    Right now, it's still a toss up for me.
  • dotty447dotty447 Member Posts: 7
    Took my 09 LE w/ nav on a 700 miles road trip this past weekend and was quite happy with it. My observations and responses to your questions:

    1. Haven't really noticed it. The problem is more that I can hit 75+ too easily without noticing it because you can't notice the shift! :-( Cruise control works great and I used that a lot just to make sure I don't speed too much by accident.

    2. Didn't observe. The 09 Murano is a very quiet car.

    4. Didn't have a lot of problem throughout the trip (I have ~ 1100 miles total on the car now) unless the sun is really low and shining directly from behind the car. I don't think there is much anyone can do with that unless the LCD screen can be tilted. Changing between day and night display mode may help.

    Navigation I find is excellent compare to a hand-held Tom Tom that I have in the other car. All the turns and maps have been very accurate for my trip from city to Maryland countryside and throughout New Jersey. The voice recognition works pretty good.

    Miles per gallon is about 18-19 right now as reported by the car for mix highway and suburb driving. I haven't measured it myself to see how accurate it is.

    We looked at any of the cars you mentioned. Acura RDX is too noisy. Acura MDX is comparable to Murano except the price for a comparably equipped model is probably $5K more, and the nearest Acura dealer to me is quite far. Lexus RX350 didn't like the back center seat where the floor isn't flat, and the trunk area feels smaller. BMW X3 looks horrible, uncomfortable leather. Infiniti didn't look at since I wouldn't like the price point. :-) Mazda CX-7 is noisy, don't find it handle any particularly better than the Murano, the interior is definitely miles behind, and doesn't have all the options of the Murano. Mazda CX-9 is just too big with better interior but still can't touch the Murano. Hyundai and Subura both look cheap.
  • fredbloggsfredbloggs Member Posts: 6
    Thank you Dotty 447. That's very helpful. Enjoy!
  • endodocendodoc Member Posts: 15
    i agree with you about the 09 Murano.after one month my only thought is that there seems to be road/wind noise at about 60 mph and above . my touareg was almost 1000 pound heavier with 5mpg less so i think you have to give up something. my wife drives it mostly around town. not a critical issue . a very quality product..
  • fredbloggsfredbloggs Member Posts: 6
    Any thoughts on the lighting of the dashboard at night, especially the red/orange lights on the gauges and the brightness of the radio and heating buttons?

    Also any thoughts on the quality of the audio system?
  • dairyshickdairyshick Member Posts: 129
    I was checking online inventories for the Muranos and some of the SL models had "SL-A package" and "SL-B package" listed under their options. When you build one online, these aren't mentioned, so i'm assuming they're the premium or technology packages....does anyone know for sure which packages these are?
  • stactumstactum Member Posts: 39
    SL-A - Premium
    SL-B - Technology
  • endodocendodoc Member Posts: 15
    is there a plastic or metal look shield for the top of the rear bumper for the 09 murano to prevent scratching when pushing things into the rear
  • ronswmronswm Member Posts: 9
    It has a metal/aluminum shield, but not on the bumper. The bumper is a bit lower than the cargo area, so it should not get scratched when moving cargo around.
  • omegadirectiveomegadirective Member Posts: 12
    Building comparisons at edmunds.com, I came across a surprising discovery.

    It appears the cargo space in the '09 murano is even less than that in the Honda CR-V!
    The comparison suggests the maximum luggage capacity (I believe it is referring to cargo room with the second row of seats up) as 35.7 cu.ft. for the CR-V and a mere 31.6 cu.ft. for the murano. Similarly, the maximum cargo capacity (seems like this is the cargo room with the second row down) is 73 cu.ft. for the CR-V and only 64 cu.ft. for the murano.

    Isn't the murano supposed to be a bigger vehicle? Its exterior dimensions approach those of the Highlander but did the designers really compromise so much on cargo room in order to maintain the vehicle's sleek profile? If anyone could comment on the cargo room in their Murano (particularly with the second row up) and perhaps compare it to a CR-V, it would help. Thanks.
  • clarencehollowclarencehollow Member Posts: 60
    It's true that the Murano has less cargo space than the CR-V, but the Acura RDX has less cargo room than the Murano. The key point is that Nissan isn't going after people that need a whole lot of cargo room. Not everybody needs all the extra space the Highlander offers, or the CR-V, and they would opt for the pristine ride the Murano provides over space for stuff.
  • musky300musky300 Member Posts: 7
    The 2009 Murano did lose max. cargo capacity space compared to the 1st generation Murano. Reading around, it is due to the slightly redesigned rear hatch, which cuts down on the height of the cargo area from its slope.

    Basically this means that if you planned to load the cargo area from floor to ceiling, you will notice there would be less room to stack stuff up to the top. Otherwise, the difference probably won't be that material.
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    I've posted in a few Murano threads and was interested in the '09 LE. Ultimately went with the Acura MDX for a few reasons that I thought I'd mention here;

    1. MDX gets slightly worse fuel economy than the Murano but both require premium fuel.

    2. Murano still has very poor residuals and since I wanted to lease this car (and pay it off at the end if it is reliable) that made the Murano a harder sell for me. Basically you can lease a base MDX for about the same money down and monthly payment as the Murano LE.

    3. Murano LE has backup camera and iPod interface and base MDX is lacking those for $3,000 more... yet the lease payments on the MDX are the same or less than the Murano due to crappy residual and money factor on Murano from Nissan. MDX is roomier, has smoother ride (less jarring over bumps), more power, much longer/better warranty and lower service intervals.

    4. Surprisingly, insurance was actually LESS on the MDX than on the Murano for us, not sure why.

    All in all I would say the two cars are actually quite comparable, and if leasing they are directly in competition with each other due to current pricing.
  • clarencehollowclarencehollow Member Posts: 60
    The Murano LE does NOT requires premium fuel. Premium fuel is not required like the MDX, it's only recommended.
  • newcarguy5newcarguy5 Member Posts: 14
    jmpage2 you're right on target with your analysis. I've been debating between the MDX and the Murano as well. However, the lease rates on the SL are quite a bit better than the LE. Although I really like my memory seats (only on LE) I'm willing to sacrifice them for $80 or so less/month.

    The MDX is a great car, but gas prices are playing a factor. According to posts many MDX owners are getting MPG less than EPA ratings, while Murano owners appear to be getting better than EPA ratings.

    Also, I currently have a Murano whose lease expires in a week, and I love the car.

    It's a tough call, but I'll probably go with the Murano even though the money factor and residual are lousy.

    That MDX is one great machine. Enjoy!
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    The MDX does not "require" premium fuel either in that Honda says you can run it on regular unleaded if you must, but just like Murano you will not be getting optimum power from the engine if you do this.

    If I'm not mistaken the Murano is just like my wife's FX35, says "premium unleaded recommended for best performance" on the gas cap, or something to that affect.
  • newcarguy5newcarguy5 Member Posts: 14
    I've never noticed a "performance" difference in my Murano or Maxima between regular and premium fuel (though both "recommend it"). However, I have heard that I am sacrificing MPG by going with the regular fuel.

    At the end of the day it's probably a wash.
  • tonysjtonysj Member Posts: 2
    LE owners... I have a question about how the integrated IPOD connector is working for you on your LEs. I just purchased mine, and love it. Only problem I have is that the ipod outputs sound to only the right side speakers. No sound on the left. I have tried 2 different ipods... same results. Radio, CD, everything works thru all speakers. I'm wondering if this it a problem on my car, or just the way it works with the ipod. I suspect its a problem, hopefully just the cable. How is it working for you. Thanks.
  • promikepromike Member Posts: 35
    Works great in my LE. I agree that it is probably a bad cable. If that doesn't work let the dealer inspect the cable connection to the radio or the socket itself could be at fault. Good luck.
  • endodocendodoc Member Posts: 15
    i know it's crazy but my wife wanted keyless entry and power tailgate without rear seat video.. handling i give the mdx an edge,power equal, i thought the mdx would be faster. interior the mdx looks better from a distance than up close.looks go the mdx. so take your pick. i looked at 60k crossovers that didn't drive as well as either of these. the porsche cayenne doesn't have bluetooth.
  • bobm13bobm13 Member Posts: 2
    I just found out my new 2009 Murano rolls back while in drive and my foot is not on the brake when I am on an incline. My dealer did not know anything about this "feature", all he said was "I tried my demo and it does the same thing" I tried Nissan head office for an explanation but they said ask your dealer. Anyone know the real story.
  • coloradogamblrcoloradogamblr Member Posts: 3
    Yesterday I bought the 09 Murano SL AWD with the leather, premium, and moon roof packages, but NOT the tech package. It has the push button start and intelikey, but still have to use the keyfob to unlock. Is it necessary to insert the intelikey into the slot to start the car or should it start just by me hitting the start button. Right now, it will not work unless the key is inserted. Is it a key battery issue or that we don't have the tech package?
  • bobm13bobm13 Member Posts: 2
    My 2009 Murano SL does not require the Fob to be used when entering the vehicle nor does the key need to be inserted to start, as long as you have it on your person or close by
  • bkanskybkansky Member Posts: 14
    You should not have to use the FOB itself to unlock/lock the doors or start the car. The FOB needs to be within 2-3 feet and then press the button on the door handle once to unlock that door and twice to unlock all doors. You can also lock the car by pressing that button. The car will not let you accidentally leave your FOB in the car and lock the doors.

    In order to start the car with the Push Button Start your foot MUST be on the brake and the car displays that warning message in the middle of the gauges. You then just press and release the start button once - do not hold it down.

    That opening is just to be able to start the car if the battery in the FOB is drained by inserting the whole FOB or if you want to use the outer part of the FOB for a valet or garage and not give them the key inside the FOB that you can use to lock the glove compartment.
  • coloradogamblrcoloradogamblr Member Posts: 3
    I have to use the keyfob to unlock because we did not get the tech. package and therefore does not have the "button" on the door handles to unlock.

    Even the dealer couldn't start the car wihout inserting the key into the slot.

    Contrary to what the sales people say (surprise, surprise) I'd speculate that all keyfobs are not intelikeys and therefore we must insert the fob to start the car sinc we do not have the tech package unless someone has a different experience.
  • fitcfitc Member Posts: 11
    Sounds like those sales people are very incompetent. You are correct, you do NOT have Intelligent Key, as it is part of the Technology Package.

    An easy way to tell if you have IntelliKey is by looking at your keyfob - if it has 4 buttons, you have Intellikey, if 3 - you do not.

    The Owners Manual describes the KeyPort on Page 5-11:

    Models without Intelligent Key system.

    Be sure to insert the key into the key port (1)
    before pushing the ignition switch. Make sure
    that the key ring side faces backward as
    illustrated. Insert the key in the port until it is
    latched and secured.
    Etc...

    _fitc_
  • mycatcroakedmycatcroaked Member Posts: 6
    I saw the '09 Murano at the Detroit Auto show in January. My local dealer - Montrose Auto Group/Hermitage Nissan got in five of them a week later. I drove and immediately bought a merlot Murano LE w/Black leather, Navigation/Tech Package and Dual Panel moonroof. Dealership (on the sale): Excellent. Vehicle: Well equipped, solid tight, squeak/rattle free, fun to drive. I was looking at the Infiniti EX35 for comparison which I outruled because it required Premium Fuel and the fuel filler door is on the passenger side for some reason. I previously owned the Infiniti FX. The closest Infiniti dealership is 70 miles away - a further factor. So I test drive the car - and find a slight vibration. The dealer says they will balance it. No sweat. On delivery they tell me at least two tires have a tread defect and they will opt to replace all four at no charge. Great. Two months later, the tires are in and viola, I have four new 20" tires. But wait! The shaking/vibration problem still exists...maybe worse? Another computer balance/alignment corrects nothing. Uh-oh. Now the dealership says to open a case with Nissan because they can't fix it. So is this another tire defect? It seems unlikely to me (unless all the Toyo tires were from the same batch). I am really pissed at Nissan and more importantly, the dealership at this moment. They are ruining my euphoric new-car experience and with only 2500 miles on the thing, this type of back-and-forth grief shouldn't exist. I know when I had the FX - everything was perfect. I'm waiting for a response from Nissan by Tuesday, April 22. They asked "Do you want a new vehicle?" I said "Well yes - if you can't fix this one - obviously" ...though I'd hate to have to reload dozens of CDs to the HDD Music Box! Now other issues: I saw a post here about backrolling: mine does too - on hills. The Driver outside rearview mirror is optically distorted (everything is fat like stretching your 4:3 TV image to a 16:9 widescreen set). The moonroof only opens about 3/4 of the way..why not all the way like on the Ford Edge? Why don't the rear windows go down all the way? Why does getting the NAV system delete the rearview mirror compass? And why to I have to listen to a nagging woman's voice on the Nav...where's the dude? My list of complaints on the '09 Murano is short and nitpicky. Handling is decent (the tires could use more grip). Low speed high throttle starts are not particularly thrilling - and fuel economy isn't nearly what I was hoping for (around town), but pusing mid-grade 89 or 91 octane fuel makes an immediate noticeable improvement on performance. I don't like that the Nav doesn't accept commands like Acura ("find local Chinese restaurant" and the like), but via HDD it is incredibly fast and accurate. I considered the Jeep Liberty, Infiniti EX35, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mazda CX-7 and Ford Edge. Nissan beat them all for features, overall performance and (as yet to be revealed) reliability. Other than the current blunder by Toyo (the tire people) or my dealership (Montrose/Hermitage Nissan, Hermitage PA), the car was a good choice. I'm not in love with the overdone upswept rear-window or bulbous back end, but driving it seals the deal. Oh, and no one has called it ugly like I keep reading. Everyone I know thinks it's awesome or at least very good looking. So front-end critics, get over yourselves. I'll update this after the resolve by Nissan.
  • mycatcroakedmycatcroaked Member Posts: 6
    All '09 Muranos and Altimas have intellikey. You can disable it by controls within the nav and setup screens (all Muranos have a setup screen). It is possible that it is just failing...If your dealer can't fix it, call and [non-permissible content removed] at Nissan.
  • fitcfitc Member Posts: 11
    Not ALL 2009 Murano's have IntelliKey - let's not create confusion here. And the 2009 Altima isn't out yet, afaik. I believe what you are saying is indeed true for the 2008 Altima though.

    _fitc_
  • thereal411thereal411 Member Posts: 16
    If you continue to have the vibration issues I would recommend filing a case with the BBB auto program. Make sure to have all your documentation for when it has been in the dealer's shop.

    I did this with my '04 Maxima that had vibration issues and first Nissan settled by sending me a $2k check and flying out a tech to repair. After several more months I re-opened my case and Nissan repurchased my car for the entire price I paid, including tax (-$2k for mileage depreciation).

    It could also be an issue with your rims and not just the Toyos, have the dealer put another set of 20s or the SL 18s and test it out.
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